Biden Discusses ISIS and Execution of James Foley

Vice President Joe Biden Held a round table discussion with elected officials business leaders and students (Published Wednesday, Aug 20, 2014)

Updated at 6:53 PM EDT on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2014

Vice President Joe Biden was in Connecticut today to attend an event on workforce development and skills in East Hartford, but first he spoke at length about the execution of American journalist James Foley in Syria and the ISIS crisis in Iraq.

"Our hearts go out to James Foley's family," said Biden, who called Foley a guy who was "all about truth and seeking justice."

Biden was here to meet with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy at Goodwin College for a round-table discussion on workforce development, but that meeting began soon after President Barack Obama held a news conference about the death of Foley, so Biden began the round-table with discussions about the tragedy and the international crisis.

Biden called Foley a "press guy that was really respected by everyone who knew him."

"Our hearts go out to the Foley family," Biden said. "It is difficult to lose someone in any circumstances, but the shear savagery and brutality of the method used by the so-called ISIL ... it's just shocked the whole world."

He went on to say that he, the president and their colleagues have been spending a lot of time in the situation room because of ISIL.

"It allows the whole world to understand what they are doing. They're attempting to wipe out entire elements of the population in Iraq, including Muslims, and I'm proud of the president stepping forward and getting the rest of the workd to know what's happening ..." Biden said.

He called what is happening something right out of the fifth or sixth century.

"I'm here to say two things. One: that they will not last. They will not succeed," Biden said. Then he spoke of the journalists overseas, like Foley, who put their lives on the line to bring the truth to the world.

"The more truth that is exposed of what is happening in Iraq and the more quickly the world will respond," Biden said.

"This was a man who was doing a job, hurting no one, who was victimized by one of the most outrageous groups of individuals I've ever encountered in my entire career," Biden said. "Our hearts go out to his family and I'm sure America feels the same empathy I do."

Before the vice president spoke, Malloy mentioned what the state is doing to assist in growing the workforce.

“What we’re trying to create in Connecticut is an environment where we can grow the middle class the way it used to be grown in this country,” Malloy, who is running for re-election, said to Biden.

While he's in Connecticut, the vice president is also scheduled to appear at two afternoon political fund raising events in Fairfield County. One fundraiser is scheduled to be held at a Greenwich home to benefit the Democratic Governors Association The second is planned at a Stamford home to benefit the Connecticut Democratic Party.

Biden's visit comes as Malloy faces what is expected to be a close election.